1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vibrating conveyor. More particularly, the invention relates to a vibrating conveyor adapted to reverse the direction in which the object on a trough is conveyed.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 10-197154 discloses a vibrating conveyor (hereinafter referred to as “conventional vibrating conveyor”). As shown in a part of FIG. 7 of the present patent application, the conventional vibrating conveyor comprises a frame 11, said frame 11 supporting a trough 5 by supporting means 6 so that said trough 5 vibrates forwardly and backwardly, said trough 5 being vibrated by vibrating means.
In the conventional vibrating conveyor, the object on the trough 5 is conveyed in a certain direction only, said certain direction being decided by the direction of inclination of the supporting means 6 with regard to the lengthwise direction of the trough 5. In other words, in the conventional vibrating conveyor, it is not possible to reverse the direction in which the object on the trough is conveyed.
Therefore, if the object is to be conveyed in one direction and the opposite direction alternately, it will be necessary to dispose, for example as shown in FIG. 7, a vibrating conveyor 1 for conveying the object in one direction and another vibrating conveyor 3 for conveying the object in the opposite direction so that the upstream sides 1a, 3a thereof in the direction of conveyance are in the vicinity of one another, a sorter 4a of an object feeder 4 being disposed in the vicinity of said upstream sides 1a, 3a of said vibrating conveyors 1, 3, thereby the object fed by the object feeder 4 is sorted by the sorter 4a and supplied onto either of said upstream sides 1a, 3a of said vibrating conveyors 1, 3.
Thus, in the conventional vibrating conveyor, if the object is to be conveyed in one direction and the opposite direction alternately, it is necessary to use two vibrating conveyors and an object feeder having a sorter, which involve additional cost and need large floor space.